Department of Numbers

Blount County Tennessee Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Blount County TN was $874 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Blount County was $880 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Blount County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Blount County rental vacancy rates, Blount County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Blount County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Blount County Tennessee (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Tennessee Median Gross Rent $904 +3.08% +7.11%
Blount County TN Median Gross Rent $874 +5.17% +17.47%

Blount County TN Real Gross Rent Trends

At $874, real median gross rent in Blount County was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $880, real average gross rent in Blount County was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.

Real Gross Rent: Blount County TN Median, Blount County TN Average, Tennessee Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Blount County

Date US
Median
Tennessee
Median
Blount County TN
Median
Blount County TN
Average
2019 $1,097 $904 $874 $880
2018 $1,077 $877 $831 $819
2017 $1,043 $859 $745 $734
2016 $1,027 $844 $744 $679
2015 $1,017 $833 $722 $709
2014 $986 $813 $807 $745
2013 $953 $788 $729 $741
2012 $940 $777 $746 $720
2011 $941 $772 $787 $721
2010 $955 $779 $757 $764
2009 $960 $777 $716 $676

more history ...

Blount County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Blount County Tennessee was 7.57% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Blount County Tennessee

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Tennessee 7.27% -0.29% +0.59%
Blount County TN 7.57% +2.42%

Trends in Blount County TN Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Blount County peaked in 2009 at 10.60%. Since then it has fallen by 3.03% to 7.57%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2015 post peak low of 2.62%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 4.95%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Blount County TN, Tennessee, US

Rental vacancy rate in Tennessee

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Blount County

Date US Tennessee Blount County TN
2019 5.97% 7.27% 7.57%
2018 6.15% 7.56%
2017 6.18% 6.67% 3.90%
2016 5.89% 6.68% 5.15%
2015 5.85% 7.13% 2.62%
2014 6.32% 7.24% 8.52%
2013 6.49% 7.86% 4.93%
2012 6.77% 7.89% 4.52%
2011 7.40% 8.54% 5.44%
2010 8.17% 10.33% 8.30%
2009 8.43% 10.52% 10.60%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Blount County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Blount County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.69% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Blount County Tennessee Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Tennessee 19.35% -0.38% -0.58%
Blount County TN 17.69% +1.04% +1.02%

Trends in Blount County TN Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Blount County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2010 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 19.89%. Since then it has fallen by 2.20% to 17.69%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Blount County TN, Tennessee, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Blount County Tennessee

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Blount County Tennessee

Date US Tennessee Blount County TN
2019 20.03% 19.35% 17.69%
2018 20.50% 19.73% 16.65%
2017 20.13% 19.47% 17.12%
2016 20.43% 19.92% 16.67%
2015 20.63% 19.93% 16.63%
2014 20.89% 20.83% 19.58%
2013 20.78% 20.26% 18.72%
2012 20.65% 20.48% 18.25%
2011 20.70% 20.58% 19.08%
2010 20.50% 20.17% 19.89%
2009 20.12% 19.61% 16.56%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Blount County Tennessee

You can calculate the renter fraction in Blount County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Blount County as a fraction of total Blount County households. In 2019 23.94% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Blount County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Tennessee 33.49% -0.28% -1.42%
Blount County TN 23.94% -3.04% +1.36%

Trends in the Blount County TN Renter Fraction

The Blount County household renter fraction peaked in in 2013 at 29.57% and is now 5.63% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Blount County TN, Tennessee, US

Fraction of renters in Blount County

History of Blount County Renter Fraction

Date US Tennessee Blount County TN
2019 35.89% 33.49% 23.94%
2018 36.05% 33.77% 26.98%
2017 36.13% 34.57% 25.39%
2016 36.88% 34.91% 22.58%
2015 36.97% 34.18% 26.91%
2014 36.90% 33.86% 24.67%
2013 36.50% 33.62% 29.57%
2012 36.09% 33.31% 25.76%
2011 35.42% 32.72% 27.17%
2010 34.65% 31.87% 27.91%
2009 34.13% 30.85% 24.56%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.